Top basketball players of the century: Girls No. 3, Haley Gorecki of Fremd
Editors note: The Daily Herald is counting down the Top Ten boys and girls basketball players of the century in our coverage area. We continue today with No. 3 - Frank Kaminsky of Benet and Haley Gorecki of Fremd.
Haley Gorecki's illustrious girls basketball career at Fremd High School wrapped up with her first visit to Illinois State's Redbird Arena for the Class 4A state finals in 2015.
After helping the Vikings to their first state trophy (runner-up) since 1977, Gorecki then officially wrapped up what Dave Yates called the best four-year career of any girl he has coached in 14 seasons directing Fremd's program.
"I've had some great players and I felt Haley was tremendously underrated going into her season year," Yates said. "She got hurt in the AAU season. She was ranked like No. 40 or 50 in the nation but I felt she was a lot better than that."
Gorecki proved it, averaging 22.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.7 steals her season year.
She finished with 2,166 career points, second best in school history to 2002 Fremd grad Maggie Fontana (2,528).
"Haley was the best I've coached," Yates said. "From the minute she walked into the door as a freshman and played with us in the summer, I knew she was going to start as a freshman and impact our team."
Sure enough, Gorecki helped the Vikings to 22 wins her rookie season, followed by 26 as a sophomore, 27 as a junior and then a school-record 29 wins (at that time) as a senior.
"Every year she continued to improve and expand her game," Yates said.
"I never imagined this," Gorecki said after her senior season. "It's been the players and the coaches, honestly, who have been the biggest help in the world. It was working with Coach Yates for four years. He's an awesome coach and has helped so much.
"The people that really inspired me to be the player I am today are my coaches. They really made me who I am today. I wouldn't be where I am without them, starting with John Ulrich, Mary Kay Monaghan, Mike Sherkey, Tom Hohenadel, Dennis Kessel, Ralph Gesualdo, Mr. Yates and, of course, my parents (Adam and Denise)."
Gorecki was one of the top collegiate players this year for Duke.
On Feb. 21, the 6-foot-1 guard was the only student-athlete nationally averaging over 18.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals.
She wound up the sixth Blue Devil to reach 500 points in back-to-back seasons, leading Duke to an 18-12 record with her 18.5 scoring average.
Gorecki plans to play professionally in Europe later this year.